SHOW DISPUTE

Southland Times, Issue 18810, 1 May 1920, Page 5

SHOW DISPUTE

MATTER AMICABLY SETTLED.

PARTUS CONSENT TO WITHDRAW.

The dispute that occurred over the judging of one of the sheep classes, in. which Messrs Kennedy and Anderson were the principals concerned, w,as discussed by the Southland A. and P. Association at its meeting yesterday. The dispute arose over a pen -of sheep that was apparently missing when the judge made his awards, and which belonged to Mr Anderson. Mr Kennedy, • who was awarded first prize, agreed to a re-judging, which, placed Mr Anderson’s sheep first. Afterwards some sheep experts, it was stated, made the assertion that the sheep judged the second time were not those that were originally penned by Mr Anderson. The chairman, Hon, A. F. Hawke, who arranged the re-judging, stated that after the re-judging both Mr Kennedy' and Mr Anderson agreed to drop the whole matter, and he was of the opinion that the matter | should not- have been again considered by i the Association, but as he had been absent from (he meetings the directors were not conversant with the agreement. Both were good exhibitors and good fighters and if Mr Kennedy could be prevailed upon to stand by the original agreement it would p !he society a lot of trouble, Mr An- ; vi" v os m town, bat not present, i had agreed to the original course being adopted. Mr Kennedy said that he thought that Mr Anderson should have been present to state his case. What he particularly wanted to know was where the sheep were when the judge, Mr Nixon, made his award in the first place. Many rumours had been circulated about his haw tig tampered with the sheep, and as there were only two people interested he would have perferred that Mr Anderson had been presnt. Mr Anderson had said that the sheep were not in the pen, while his son said that they had never been out, Mr BLssett. one of the stewards, had said that the sheep were penned, but were absent when the judge arrived. He would like to know what had become of the sheep. He had always acted in a sportsmanlike manner and his consent to the re-judging showed that he did not want any prize without competition. Mr James King said that Mr Kennedy was wrong in consenting to the re-judging and when both parties had agreed at the time the whole matter should not have been allowed to go so far. Mr Kennedy; There is another point that has been raised by some, that the sheep judged the second time were not the same as penned originally. Mr Horne, one of the stewards, said that it had been said to him that the sheep had 1 been changed. I Mr J. Macdonald said that Mr Kennedy had been content to let the matter lapsj until he heard that the sheep had besa changed. It was then that Mr Kennedy decided to fight the matter out. Mr A. Holms said that he knew that Mr Kennedy felt the insinuations that hadbeen made against him with regard to the moving of the sheep, and he was a good sportsI man to have another go, but things pointed to his not having obtained that the second time. He had the prize won and was good enough to have another judging. Mr Kennedy; Other competitors alas slated that the sheer) were not the same. The secretary said that it was likely that the stewards had missed Mr Anderson’* I pen, which was situated at the back. It had been a Long day's judging and that I could easily occur. That explanation wa* ;x>.rfectly feasible when it was considered that the sheep were in the pen shortly after judging. The chairman paid that they could sot accept statements from Messrs Johnstone and Little without their being present, and he suggested that the Association pay their expenses to enable them to give evidence. I The meeting then adjourned to allow of ! Mr Andereon being present. ! When the meeting resumed after I luncheon Mr Andereon was present and. Mr Kennedy asked where the sheep were dot - I ing the original judging. j Mr Anderson in reply stated that ana j of his sons had told him that the sheep j had not been judged and when he mei Mr Nixon the statement was confirmed. He approached the secretary and got tha same answer, and he left the matter to tha president, Mr Hawke, to settle. A little time before the judge arrived at the pen is question he and Mr McCrostie were looking at the sheep, and they were then in tha pen, that would be about five to ten minutes before the actual judging. With regard to the statement of Messrs Johnstone and Little, he had approached those men and they had not definitely stated to him that the sheep had been changed. Tha sheep judged the second day had been locked. He was satisfied now that he had interviewed those men ami had heard those men and had heard their personal statements. Mr Home: Mr Little walked into the pen on the second day and after opening the wool in about three different places smdt “That’s not the same sheep that was in the pen yesterday.” Mr Anderson: Why should I change my entry to try and win the shield? I had put what I considered my second best sheep in the class and could not have bettered my entry by changing. Mr Kennedy said he was vexed that the matter of where the sheep had been during the judging had not been cleared up, but for the benefit of the Association he was willing to withdraw. Messrs J. Fleming and J. King each offered special prizes for the same class next year. The chairman thanked Messrs Kennedy and Anderson for their action, and said he hoped that it would make no difference to their showing.